co-defendants
Jointly charged parties
Co-defendants are two or more people charged together in the same criminal case or sued together in the same civil lawsuit.
They share the legal proceeding but may have separate attorneys and conflicting interests: The co-defendants blamed each other for planning the robbery.
One co-defendant's testimony can implicate another.
Charged with wrongdoing
- indictedFormally charged legally
- chargesAmounts owed or alleged
- allegationsUnproven formal claims
- suspectsThinks someone's guilty
arraignment · plea · bail · guilty · innocent · testimony · witness · prosecution
Civil court proceeding
- plaintiffsThose initiating lawsuits
- discoveryAct of finding something
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- subpoenaWrit requiring testimony
pleadings · complaint · counterclaim · motion · affidavit · interrogatories · summary judgment · jurisdiction
Judicial proceedings chamber
- juryLegal decision-making body
- judgeOne who decides
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
cross-examination · prosecution · verdict · deliberation · sentencing · witness · bailiff · docket
Partners in crime
- conspiratorsSecret joint schemers
- collaborationJoint intellectual work
- joint ventureCollaborative business arrangement
- collusionFraudulent secret cooperation
partnership · scheme · coordination · involvement · culpability · plea deal · immunity
accused
Charged with wrongdoing
- indictedFormally charged legally
- chargesAmounts owed or alleged
- allegationsUnproven formal claims
suspects · arraignment · plea · bail · guilty · innocent · testimony · witness · prosecution · verdict
lawsuit
Civil court proceeding
- plaintiffsThose initiating lawsuits
- discoveryAct of finding something
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
subpoena · pleadings · complaint · counterclaim · motion · affidavit · interrogatories · summary judgment · jurisdiction · appellate
courtroom
Judicial proceedings chamber
evidence · cross-examination · prosecution · verdict · deliberation · sentencing · witness · bailiff · docket · gavel
accomplices
Partners in crime
- conspiratorsSecret joint schemers
- collaborationJoint intellectual work
- joint ventureCollaborative business arrangement
collusion · partnership · scheme · coordination · involvement · culpability · plea deal · immunity
- litigantslitigant, plaintiff, respondent, petitioner, claimant
- litigation partiesparties, plaintiffs, litigants, petitioners, respondents
- partnerspartners, partner, business partners, business partner, associates
co-defendantsco-plaintiffs
Joint parties bringing suit
prosecution · prosecutors · plaintiffs · accusers · petitioners